Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as I had hoped for, but useful.
Review: I thought it was pretty basic but at times it has helped with writers block. A supplement to your basic thesaurus based on ideas rather than one for one word comparisons. John - Eagle Stock Images
Rating: 
Summary: A book for hacks only
Review: I was given this book as a gift a few years back -- not as a "hey, this will really help you" kind of gift, but as a "hey, look at this pathetic joke" sort of white elephant. This is not a book to be taken seriously. It's a collection of advertising's oldest, hoariest cliches. If you aspire to create ads for used car tent sales or TV-and-VCR-repair correspondence schools, you might find it marginally useful. On the other hand, if you want to create meaningful creative work and have a successful career at a presitigious advertising agency, you might check your work against this book to make sure that NOTHING you've written appears in its pages. It's a book by and for hacks. If you want to be a hack, by all means click on that little shopping cart doohickey.
Rating: 
Summary: HELPFUL
Review: I was very impressed with the way this book was presented. It was well set out and full of great words. A must for any copywriter.
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Summary: only the author loves these cliches
Review: I'm embarassed to say I fell for this one, hey, it sold at least another copy. This stuff is tired and the book and author should be retired.
Rating: 
Summary: Hey, it still works!
Review: If I were marooned on a desert island and still had to write copy, this is the one book I'd want to have in front of me. It manages to organize our vast language into bite-size categories for promoting products and ideas. It has helped countless thousands of people (including me) stop groping for elusive phrases and find inspiration on demand. I really don't need to defend Words That Sell after its trashing by the previous reviewer. After all, the book has earned more than enough glowing reviews on Amazon.com and elsewhere. But I have to take issue with a "professional marketer" who claims that honesty and sincerity are the only tools you need to write effective copy. If that were the case, my dog would be an ace copywriter. I'm adamant about honesty and sincerity in marketing, too -- but there's so much more to crafting a persuasive message. How about a knowledge of the words and phrases that repeatedly get results (or don't)? How about an emphasis on benefits (as opposed to boasts or mere descriptions)? How about key phrases for grabbing the reader and wrapping up your argument with an effective call to action? The language of persuasion hasn't changed appreciably since the book was written back in the '80s. (If you haven't guessed by now... yes, I'm the author!) Human beings will always be motivated by the same needs, wants and fears, which is why a book like Words That Sell won't be outdated anytime soon. We might use fewer exclamation points these days, but the vast majority of these words and phrases still work. Thanks for hearing me out. Now I'll let you decide for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent reference; this belongs on your desk!
Review: If you're seriously interested in choosing the right words to motivate someone to buy your product or service, this book is invaluable. If you've ever searched for just the right word for an advertisement or description on your website, and just couldn't come up with the right "sound", chances are it's in this handy thesaurus of selling. I've spent the last few weeks perfecting our new web store, and this book has supplied many nuggets of inspiration. Like Joe Girard (the world's greatest saleman and author of 'How To Sell Anything To Anybody') says on the cover: "A must for all in business - it's a treasure!"
The book is divided into sections of perfect words and phrases for given situations (like "Justifying a High Price", "Luxurious" or "Money-Saving"). There's also a great list of sensory qualities to describe products or services.
This great tool is a small investment that will pay for itself over and over. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Really Good!
Review: It's not Roget's and it won't help you solve crosswords. But, as far as writing proposals and releases go, Words That Sell is a good reference. I used a lot of these key action words in some of the strategies I found in Levine's Guerrilla PR Wired. If you do a lot of writing to persuade people, this is a good buy. I even gave it to a friend in advertising.
Rating:
Summary: Roget Better Watch Out
Review: Roget's Thesaurus has some wonderful competition! Words that Sell. When I used them in some online techniques I found in Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired, BOOM! It was like winning the candy store lottery. Get this, now!
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Summary: If you sell or write advertising copy, this book will help.
Review: Some words elicit the desired response and others don't. These do
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Summary: Useful, Functional, Adaptable, Helpful, Easy to Use . . .
Review: The above are just a few of the words and phrases suggested in "Words That Sell" for the term "Useful/Suitable." This book is a specialized thesaurus with a marketing focus. The suggestions will jump start your pursuit of the perfect description next time you are writing a sales letter, catalog copy, brochure or web copy, ads--in short, anytime you need just the right word to convince customers to buy. It's one of the items I keep in my "creativity kit," the place I turn to overcome writer's block and get my brain popping. If you ever have the need to write marketing copy, "Words That Sell" deserves a place on your bookshelf.
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